ROCK POP
RADAR BROTHERS
West 13th, Glasgow, Wed 29 May 0000.
‘Everyone got a drink okay? At 2.45 in the afternoon?’ Jim Puntam gently chides the matinee audience at this free gig celebrating the 13th Note’s rebirth/relocation. Of course, the audience, a mix of musical types relocated from the old Note plus the odd actual punter on a late liquid lunch, all have glasses in hand. You’d think that a Breeders tour would have prepared the band for such mild debauchery, but the Radar Brothers are
Matinee idols
hardly rock’n‘roll animals on the evidence of their laid-back masterpiece . . . and the Surrounding Mountains, an album whose chilledness suggests an afternoon pint might push them over the edge. From the opening backmasking of ‘Still Evil' to the Joy Division-doing-alt.country that is ‘Mothers’, the set’s a facsimile of the recordings, but up close the interplay between the five musicians is a joy to watch. Near-instrumental ‘Mountains’ is a soundscape worthy of the album’s title. When all’s done we raise our glasses to the Brothers. What better tribute? (Stuart McHugh)
OPERA THE BARBER OF SEVILLE
Citizen’s Theatre, Glasgow, Sat 25 May coo
It doesn't have a big budget. but what Opera on a Shoestring achieves with the money it does have is guite remarkable. Long notorious as being the most cash- guzzling art form, opera. no matter how you stage it. is not cheap. But with the sort of creative invention born of necessity. OOAS‘s Barber of Seville is entertaining. for the most part well sung and acted. and brings an impressive integrity to Rossini's vibrant music.
Conductor Julian Clayton may have only eleven players at his disposal. but. to borrow some World Cup parlance. what a team of eleven they are. Never off the pitch, so to speak. they are responsible for what would normally fall to four or five times that number to deliver. Clean and crisp in the overture. it seems
00* '
like additional players would just have got in the way. Although the English translation has its questionable moments. the text is clearly heard above the small band. especially so over some extremely sensitive harpsichord playing in the recitatives.
A typical. traditional and rather old- fashioned Spanish set and costumes sits neatly on the Citizens' stage. even if some of the doors wobble a bit in the wrong places. Debra Stuart is a colourful and agile Rosina. but the lack of comparable suppleness in Ian Priestley‘s role as her suitor. Count Almaviva. brings a few hiCCups to his romantic wooings. Star of the show is Richard Morrison's charming and relaxed Figaro. with Martin Higgins as the dodgy Dr Bartolo coming a close second. (Carol Main)
I The Barber of Seville is at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, 8, ll, 73 and 75 June
Music
OPERA
MADAMA BUTTERFLY Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Fri 24 May 0000
Puccini described Madama Butterfly as “the most heartfelt and evocative work I have ever written'. For their special 40th anniversary revival of David McVicar‘s production. Scottish Opera have held the composer's description at the forefront of their approach. Gaining from a little time to mature. the main thrust of this Butterfly highlights the vast contrasts between Japanese and Western Cultures. It throws what light can be shed upon them through a famously moving love-story and attempts to address how the complex relationship between these Cultures may grow and learn from experience.
On one hand is Butterfly. living up to the delicate vulnerability of her name in a stupendOLis performance from Natalia Dercho. Beautifully paced in an extremely personal interpretation. her Cio-Cio-San simply get better and better. ‘One Fine Day' was Sung with such conviction that even though tragedy looms. no-one coold help but believe that her lover would return. The strength of trust was bared as if for a first time. On the other hand was Pinkerton. the dashing. but heart-
More than worth a flutter
breaking. US Naw Lieutenant. ln lan Storey. he is not so much a self- centred brute. as a naive. inexperienced yOung officer. seeing the world — and a beguilineg exotic land in particular — and wanting it all. With impressive Support from the rest of the cast and the Scottish Opera Orchestra conducted by Richard Armstrong revelling in the colour and passion of Puccmi's powerful score. this Madama Butterfly will linger in the soul for quite some time. (Carol Main) I Mada/77a Butterfly is also at Theatre Royal. Glasgow on Sat 8 June.
ROCK POP END OF THE MONTH CLUB
13th Note Cafe, Glasgow, Thu 30 May 0.00
It does just what its name suggests. but much more: on TV it'd be a ‘revue' show. but here in the 13th Note it's a soundtrack for Have / Got News For You: our hosts a Half lvlan. Half Biscuit for the internet generation. as snippets of current affairs are set to a bewildering array of mixed-up messed—up sounds.
Minor celebrities are celebrated and pilloried as our hosts cook up a variety of satirical tunes. such as the Roy Keane saga set to music. and a soundclash pitting O/xy O/bourne M against 80s Scots popster Owen Paul.
And there's music too: taking centre Witness the Felt-Tip Challenge stage tonight is Sean Dickson. who
arrives. Omnichord in lap. allowing TJ BO? to work the decks. The High Fidelity Bozilla marriage works a treat and prompts a promise of collaborations in future. All this and audience partiCipation in the Felt-Tip Challenge. a display of ‘awkward dancing'. plus a fine set from Boxilla themselves leaves us counting the days until 30 June. lStuart lvchugh)
Ticket information: Tickets for most medium/large concerts can be bought from the following:
Glasgow: Virgin Buchanan Galleries. 3132 £1400 - Credit card bookings from: Ticket l ink: 28? 5:31 1 8. Way Ahead: 13:30 81383 Edinburgh: Virgin Princes Street. 920 39:34 - Ripping Records Seiith Bridge. 226 7010 - Way Ahead 01-41 13130 8383
I Pulp Rose Islc l‘orcst. Near lilgin. 2i Jun.
I Rod Stewart
Sli(‘('. (ilitsgow. 22 (K; 23 Jun 5 Jul. A|.l. S()l.l) ()l'l.
(i Jul; lidinhurgh ('zixtlc. 20 Jul. I St Germain Sli(‘(‘. (ilasgoxt. 28 Jun.
I David Byrne Burro“ land. (ilaxgou. 28 Jun.
I Isaac Hayes
('Iydc .-\uditorium. (iluxgtm‘. 2‘) Jun.
I 88 King ('I_\dc Auditorium.
Glasgow, 30 Jun.
* Blackalicious l.;i Bcllc Angclc. lidinhurgh. 30 Jun: King Tut's. (ilasgou. l Jul.
I Aimee Mann Liquid Rooms. lidinhurgli. 2 Jul.
I Flaming Lips Queens llaill. lidinhurgh. 2 Jul.
* Siouxsie and the Banshees Burrowland. Glasgow. 5 Jul.
I Roger McGuinn (‘oiiiciz (ilaxgow. 8 Jul.
I My Vitriol Liquid Room. lidinhurgh. lllJul.
I T in the Park Balzido. l3
& l4 Jul.
I Pet Shop Boys Playhouse. lidinhurgh. l5 Jul. I Iggy Pop Barrowland. (ilasgoxx. l7 Jul.
I Suicidal Tendencies (iziragc. (ilzixgow. 2| Jul.
” Paul Heaton (iill'ttgc. Glasgow. 22 Jul.
I Paul Simon litliiihurgh (listlc. 25 Jul.
I Burt Bacharach l’l;i_\hou\c. lidinhurgh. 2‘) Jul. ' Van Morrison Sli(‘(‘. (ilitxgtm. 2 Aug.
I Gig on the Green (ilzisgou. 24 it 25 Aug.
I Nickleback Sli('('. (iltlsgow. 26 Aug.
I The Damned Rciit‘icu Ferry. (ilaxgou. 28 Aug.
* Ocean Colour Scene i’layhouxc. lidinhurgh. 4 Sop. * The Divine Comedy and Ben Folds Barronland. (iluxgtm. J Oct.
* A-ha (lute Auditorium. (ilgixgtm. l5 ()ct.
” John Martyn Liquid
Room. lidinhurgh. ltx’ ()ct.
* Suede Burrmwland. (ilaxgow. 20 Oct.
I Moby Sli('('. (ilaxgou. 30 .\'o\‘.
I David Gray Sli('(‘. (ilaisgim. 2 801.1) ()t'T & 3 1)L‘C.
I Jools Holland (‘htlc Auditorium. (ilaxgou. 6 “cc. I Elton John Sl-1(‘(‘. (ilusgim. 7 N 8 Dec.
" Madness Sii('('. (ilzixgon. l5 Dcc.
I The Almighty (izu'agc.
(ilzisgim. 2| Dec.
i; 9t) .l.ivi 3.7.1." THE LIST 47